Noted Indian Air Force pilot ‘Captain Abhinandan Varthaman’ who shot to fame with the famous Balakot airstrike in 2019 was honored with the military bravery award Vir Chakra at the awards ceremony on Monday. The first citizen of India’ President Ramnath Kovind had awarded the award to the pilot today.
At the investiture ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan at the national capital Delhi’ Abhinandan Varthaman’ who is serving as the Group Captain at the Indian Air Force received the third-highest wartime gallantry award Vir Chakra.
The captain was honoured with the award for his exceptional air combat and estimating the tactics of the enemy nation. His heroics of alerting the other aircraft of the sudden attack planned by the Pakistan aircraft was also taken into consideration. After the attack’ Abhinandan who became a hero for the nation was promoted as a Group Captain from his wing commander position.
At the awards’ Sapper Prakash Jadhav was honoured with the Kirti Chakra award posthumously for his heroics at the Kashmir region in 2018. He was widely remembered for his contribution in neutralising the terrorist in the region. His wife and mother received the award from the honorable President. Kirti Chakra is the second-highest peacetime gallantry award.
Other war heroes Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal and Naib Subedar Sombir were also awarded Shaurya Chakra’ the award given to the military personnel on the grounds of courageous action or self-sacrifice.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were also present at the Defence Investiture Ceremony that was held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan’ the Indian President’s official residence.
Abhinandan Varthaman who was a Wing Commander earlier in February 2019 at the time of the aerial combat entered the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir(POK) region and shot down Pakistan’s F-16 air fighter with his MiG-21.
In the aerial combat’ Indian Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman’s air vehicle was damaged by Pakistan’s aircraft. With no option left’ he was ejected into Pakistan’s land. He was captured by the Pakistan forces. To leave Pakistan no option left except for leaving the Wing Commander’ India mounted pressure on the neighboring nation and the other countries also joined India in the matter.